Easy Stuffed Cabbage (Vegan Cabbage Rolls)
vegan ~ dairy-free ~ gluten-free

Makes: 12-14
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

So Flavorful!
These Stuffed Cabbage Rolls came out absolutely delicious, it’s a flavor bomb. This was one of those random thrown together recipes. Admittedly, I did not feel like cooking dinner last night. With it just being my husband and I now, it’s so easy for me to have moments when my first thought is what can we pick up. I’m sure I’m not alone here. Also, do you ever buy vegetables with the best intentions…thinking to yourself – I’m going to roast or stir fry these veggies right away for dinner. Next thing you know, every time you open the fridge… there they are just sitting there – day after day ready to spoil. This was the head of cabbage. So, before it got to that point, I thought of this recipe.
I really appreciate this recipe because I had all the ingredients on hand in my pantry/fridge. Feel free to adjust the flavors or swap out some of the herbs/ingredients for what you may have on hand. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Head of Green Cabbage
2/3 Cups Walnuts
2-3 Tbsp (1 handful) Fresh Basil
2-3 Tbsp (1 handful) Fresh Dill
1 Onion, quartered
1 (16oz) Package of Extra Firm Tofu, quartered
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tsp Stone Ground/Horseradish Mustard
1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
Salt/Pepper/Adobo, seasonings to taste
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
2 Cups Pasta/Marinara Sauce (store-bought or homemade)

Directions:
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
-In a food processor, add the walnuts and blend on low for a few seconds to chop. -To this, add the Basil and Dill, then blend for about 15-30 seconds to combine. Remove this mixture and set aside.
-Back to the processor, add the tofu, balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, liquid smoke and seasonings to your taste.
-Prepare the brown rice according to package instructions.
-In a large bowl, add together the walnut blend, tofu mixture and brown rice. Mix together with a fork or your hands to blend together.
-Bring a large pot to boil and add salt. While the water is coming to a boil, carefully peel back pieces of cabbage (first remove/discard the outer layer). Also, if any of the pieces have a thick core piece/stem – I carefully trim this back (pictured below). This makes it easier for rolling up later.
-Add a few pieces of cabbage to the boiling water and allow the cabbage to blanch for a couple of minutes. Remove the pieces and set aside. I do this in batches to not overcrowd the pot.
-In a 13×9 casserole dish/baking dish, add one cup of the sauce to the bottom.
-Next, grab a piece of the cabbage and add the filling, then roll it up. Note: There may be smaller pieces of cabbage, in this case I layer two smaller pieces together before adding the filling.
-Place the cabbage rolls in the sauced dish. I initially intended to make 12, however, I managed to squeeze 14 pieces of rolled cabbage into the dish.
-Add the additional one cup of sauce to the top and spread evenly. Also, add any additional seasoning, if desired.
-Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400°F. (I served this with mashed potatoes).
-Enjoy!

-Note: this recipe is quick because I’m using a food processor. However, if you don’t have one – finely chop the walnuts/herbs in this recipe and use a masher or your hands to blend the tofu filling.